UNO
by CeruleanRoses
Summary: The story of how Clementine Valentine, the snootiest girl in school, and the Once-ler, the poor boy down the road, became best friends and eventually more.
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything except the OC, peeps.**

**(A/N: So, here's yet another OC added to this fandom! It's cool, though... If you don't like OC stories, there are plenty of OC-free stories to choose from! Otherwise, I really hope you enjoy the story! It's a cute story!)**

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**Prologue: Opposite Paths**

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Once upon a time, which is a long, _long _time ago...

There was a boy. He wasn't a spectacular boy, really. Just a normal boy with a tall, irregular, beanpole-like body. Even as a child, this boy, Once-ler as he was called, was a tall, thin person.

He was too tall to play on the monkey bars. His feet still touched the ground when he grabbed onto the bars.

He was too thin to play football. One tackle was enough to send him to the ER.

Overall, this didn't make him too popular with the other kids.

"Beanpole, Beanpole!" they would sing as he sat alone on the swings before they began to pummel him with as many stones as they could find. He didn't care. Instead, he preoccupied himself with what he knew best: knitting. Or sewing. Whatever the heck adults called it.

He would bring his yarn and needle with him to school and knit all kinds of wonderful things. Hats, scarves, Wuzzles, Fuzzles; you name it, he could make it!

This also didn't make him too popular with the kids.

"Girly boy, girly boy!" they would sing before they pummeled him with more rocks.

"Man," the Once-ler said with a frown as one rock tore through the Fuzzle he was knitting. He sighed and put it down in his lap. He was so used to the treatment that he didn't bother crying anymore. Instead, he put on a cheery face and started swinging.

"Woo!" he cheered while kicking his long legs back and forth. It wasn't long before he was swinging as high as the sky (at least it was that high in his eyes).

_One day_, he thought, _I'll show them. My knitting is gonna be sold all over the world and I'm gonna be rich!_

It wasn't until he stopped swinging and came to a slow stop that he noticed there was now someone sitting on the swing beside him.

It was Clementine Valentine, one of the snootiest-pootiest girls in his class. She never talked to anyone and always kept to herself. Everyone knew it was because she was a spoiled, rich kid who thought she was better than everyone else. That's why they all did her a favor and stayed far, far away from her. She never seemed to mind. She just seemed sad all of the time.

Once-ler swallowed hard and blushed. She sure was pretty though. She had the prettiest green eyes and they matched the green ribbons tied around her dark brown pigtails. He had often found himself staring at her in class, wondering if she'd ever wear one of his Fuzzles or maybe one of his Wuzzles?

"Um," he began. "Hi. Er, I'm the Once-ler." He held out his hand to her, which was covered in bandages, thanks to all the times he pricked himself while knitting. "It's nice to meet you!"

Clementine gave his hand a quick glance before she looked down at the soft material of her pastel green dress. He kept his hand there for a few more seconds before he dropped his hand back to his side, where it flopped around like a deflated balloon. His mom always said he was too friendly. Maybe he should just...

"What kind of name is the _Once-ler_?"

Once-ler felt himself blush at the question Clementine asked him. He puffed out his chest, feeling highly offended. He was quite proud of his name. It was one of a kind!

"It's my name!" he said with a pout. "What...What kind of name is _Clementine Valentine_, huh? You sound like a nursery rhyme!"

He watched as she rolled her big, green eyes. "Better than sounding like a magazine..." she mumbled while rocking on her swing. Once-ler growled, held up his finger, and opened his mouth to retort, but Clementine was faster.

"Why are you even talking to me?" she asked. Once-ler closed his mouth at the sound of the sadness in her voice. Her eyes were focused at the dirt below her small, expensive shoes. "No one else does."

"Maybe it's because you're so mean," he mumbled beneath his breath. He hadn't meant for her to hear it but the tears in her eyes told him that she had indeed heard him.

Now, the Once-ler wasn't one for making girls cry. His mom had taught him better, at least, she did when she wasn't too busy making fun of him and crushing his dreams. He knew he had to make her feel better, even if he wasn't too fond of her.

"Hey!" he said in a bright and cheery voice. "Do you want to see something cool?" Clementine rubbed her tiny fists against her eyes and blinked at him curiously.

"What is it?" she asked with a sniffle.

Once-ler held up a finger before he turned to the side, making sure that she wouldn't be able to see him. He began moving his fingers and yarn at lightning speed. A few times, Clementine tried to look but was scolded with a "No peeking!" from the Once-ler. Finally, with a pout, she sat back in her swing and waited.

After a few more seconds, he was finished. He turned around and held out his work of art to her.

"Ta-da!" he sang. Clementine blinked once at the small, round...thing. She cocked her head to one side and then back to the other.

"What is that thing?" she asked finally.

"It's a bracelet!" he beamed. "Hold out your hand."

Clementine coughed over her shoulder before she did as she was told. She was surprised when he slipped the multi-colored strands over her hand and to her wrist. He pulled his hands away and smiled at her.

"See? A bracelet," he said with a pleased smile. Clementine held up her wrist and studied the bracelet with wide eyes, while still clasping onto the swing's chains to keep herself from falling. It was at this moment that Once-ler noticed that her other arm was already weighed down by rows of diamond bracelets and gold bands. He slapped his forehead. She was definitely gonna hate his stupid, dinky bracelet when she had all of those other ones...

"I love it."

Clementine's response was almost enough to send him falling off of his swing. He looked up at her and found her giving him a smile. He was surprised. It was the first time any of the kids had ever seen Princess Snooty-butt (as some called her) smile.

"Thank you very much," she continued, the smile still on her face. Once-ler could feel that he was blushing, so he looked away and gave a nervous laugh.

"I-it's nothing, really..." he sputtered.

"It's pretty ugly, though," Clementine added. Once-ler's mouth fell open and he shot her a glare that only made her giggle.

"It is _not_ ugly!" he nearly shouted.

"Yes, it is," Clementine sang back, still giggling. "It looks like cereal, the really gross type."

"Yeah, well... You're gross!" Once-ler shot back while crossing his arms.

She only giggled in response before she pointed at his yarn. "Can you make some more?" she asked.

The Once-ler blinked and nodded. He smiled a little. No one had ever paid any attention to his knitting before. "Sure!" he said, forgetting all about her insult from earlier. He began to go into animated detail about every step of the knitting process.

Clementine watched curiously, paying more attention to the hyper, happy boy than the yarn and needle. She smiled and listened.

That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, folks. Clementine Valentine and the Once-ler were inseparable after that day. They became the best of friends, doing nearly everything together. The flamboyant Once-ler was just the thing to help Clementine open up more while Princess Snooty-butt helped him to stay focused on his knitting.

Of course, they couldn't stay in elementary school forever. That would be weird. No, they went on to middle school, to face the horrors of puberty, acne, dodge-ball and bullies. Middle school really sucks, so let's just, ah, skip over that part.

Enter high school. Many people call these years the most important years of their lives. Those people are now considered losers. But everyone goes through high school, even the Once-ler and Clementine.

Things had changed since that day on the swingset. They were older now, that much you can bet. But other than different looks and different clothes, the thing that stayed the same is that these two remained close. This is where our story really starts. So take a seat, and let's get right to the good part.

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**A/N: So! Another old story I found on my laptop! Tell me what you think, people :) I appreciate it and have a lovely day!**

**Laterz**

**CR**


	2. Enter High School

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything besides the OC, I suppose.**

**(A/N: So! High school! Believe me, as much FUN as high school is, it's not going to be a big part of this story! Enjoy the chappie though!)**

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**Chapter One: Enter High School**

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A grumpy-looking family sat around a shabby table in an even shabbier dining room, chewing simultaneously on gray gruel. There were five people in total. Let's see, there was a blonde woman wearing glasses and some dying animal as a scarf. Then there were two twin boys who looked brain-dead. There was a man with a large jaw and shifty eyes and a woman...or...man...thing with orange hair. Each one seemed grumpier than the last.

The blonde woman looked around the table, noticing that one member of the grumpy family was missing. She slammed her spoon down.

"Oncie!" she shouted. "Come eat your breakfast and get ready for school!"

There was a loud sound that resembled a police siren. Everyone stopped chewing and looked over at the stairs, confused by the noise. Suddenly, the Once-ler came soaring down the stairs via the side railing, yodeling like a professional yodeler.

"Gooooooooooooooooood morning!" he sang, his "woo-ing" coming to an end as he jumped off the railing and landed on his feet.

The rest of his family heaved a collective sigh at the tall, young man.

"You're going to be late for school, Oncie," the blonde reminded him in her high-pitched voice.

The Once-ler brushed off her worries with a shrug. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll just take Melvin so I can get there in time. We all know how fast he can go!" he said with a grin.

His mom chuckled. "Oh, no, honey!" she giggled. "I wasn't worried! I could care less!"

Once-ler blinked a few times before his face fell. "Oh."

"We're the smart brothers!" one of the twins shouted suddenly. "Right, Clet?"

"Right, Bret!" the other agreed. "We're never late for school!"

Once-ler sighed before he grabbed a jug of milk and guzzled it down. "That's because you both dropped out when you were six but...heh, who cares, right?" He finished off the milk, grabbed a cereal bar, and headed for the door.

"I'm off, family! Only a few more months before I get that diploma!" he cheered.

"Wonderful," the man/woman, his Aunt Grizelda, grumped.

"Don't get your hopes up too high, nephew!" his Uncle Bubb joked, making the family gather together in laughter.

Once-ler gave a dry laugh that could barely be heard over there chortling. "Right," he muttered. "I'll try to remember that."

He exited his wooden house, whistling and humming a tune that just came to him out of the blue, 'cause he was smart like that. He went around the house, to the back where they kept the farm animals.

He sure had changed since those days of knitting on the swing. Now, he was taller than ever and dressed in smart outfit that consisted of a dark fedora, a dark vest over a long-sleeved, white shirt, and light-blue jeans. He was quite the looker, if you let him tell it.

"Well, good morning, Melvin!" Once-ler sang as he poked his head into the stables. A fuzzy donkey lifted its head from the bale of hay it had been munching on to look at him. It gave a half-hearted snort.

"Who's ready to go to school today?" Once-ler chided. "You are! Yes, you are, you awesome donkey, you!"

Melvin gave him a look but allowed him to climb on his back without much protest. Together, the two friends rode off of the farm and headed for the town of Ubbydubb, which was much more modern than his shack, which was nearly three miles away from town.

He'd learned to ignore the laughs that riding Melvin earned him while riding through town. The children giggled and pointed and made braying noises. What did they know? They were just dumb kids.

After nearly thirty minutes of riding Melvin, Seussville High School came into view. It was a huge, stone building with nearly five floors and filled to the brim with loud, insane students.

"Nice donkey, Once-ler!" one blonde dude in a sportscar yelled as he passed him by.

"Hey, thanks!" Once-ler said with a wave. It wasn't until the blonde started laughing that he realized he was being sarcastic. Of course.

Once-ler parked Melvin in one of the parking spaces near the grass, so that he'd be able to eat while he was in class.

"Alright, Melvin! See ya at 3 o' clock, pal!" he said as he climbed off of him. Melvin brayed in response. Once-ler patted his head and spun around just in time to catch a long, white limo pulling up in front of the school. He chuckled, knowing exactly who was riding in that thing.

He could only see the back of the dark, curly hair that climbed out of the back seat of the limo, but he'd know that hair anywhere. He heard someone yelling at her from the limo before it sped away, leaving the girl in the green dress facing the school.

"Hey, Clem!" Once-ler called with his hands cupped around his mouth. The girl's head swiveled from side to side before she turned around to face him. The face that had been drawn up into a serious frown eased into a pleasant smile. Clementine Valentine raised her brown hand and waved at him.

Clementine had also changed a lot, over the years. She'd lost her pigtails after the sixth grade and instead wore her curly, brown hair down and fluffed out. Although she had never grown as curvy as the other girls, boys had started to actually notice that she was a girl around that time. She'd always been pretty but now she was beautiful. She reminded Once-ler of a doll, but he'd never tell her that. Ha, how embarrassing would that be? Nope, it was way too much fun teasing her instead.

He made his way over to her, dodging the other students and cars in the parking lot. "I see you took the Priss-mobile today," he joked as he finally reached her. Clementine laughed before she sniffed him and recoiled.

"And I _smell_ that you took Melvin today," she teased with a tilt of her head. The Once-ler opened his mouth to say something, but paused to smell himself. He recoiled with a wince, causing Clementine to laugh. She pulled out a bottle of her favorite perfume and sprayed him down with it. He coughed a few times and tried to fan the feminine scent away with his hand, but it was glued to him.

Clementine closed her perfume's top with a "pop" and smiled up at him. "Better, Donkey-Boy," she said but her smile told him she wasn't saying it to be mean. He smirked at her before they walked into the school together.

The hallways were packed with students, hurrying on their way to class. A few students stopped to greet Clementine, who had grown to be somewhat popular in high school.

"Only three more months, Clemmy!" Once-ler said excitedly as he flung his arm over her shoulder and pulled her to his side. "Three more months before we're free to go after our dreams!"

"And my dream is to fulfill everyone's needs!" Clementine joined Once-ler in his favorite saying before she sighed.

"I'm glad you're so ready to graduate from high school," she said in a deflated tone. "You're free to do whatever you want after this." Once-ler frowned at his best friend's droopy face before he pouted.

"Aww, cheer up, Clemmy-tine!" he pleaded in a voice meant for babies and small animals. "You've got to learn to see the upside to things! Maybe your parents won't force you to marry whats-his-face!"

Clementine snorted. The chances of that happening were slim to none. Her impending marriage to a duke from overseas was all that was on her minds nowadays. Her parents had told her back in middle school that they had set her up to be married to some stranger from overseas and she could become a duchess, therefore making her family even richer than they already were. The day they were to meet was when she became eighteen, which was a few months after she graduated. She was so scared and angry. Being from the upper-class wasn't what it was cracked up to be, besides the money. But money couldn't buy happiness. Don't let it fool you.

Clementine shook her head and forced a smile at her best friend. "Whatever. Maybe I'll run away or something. Anyway, let me hear the name of that fabulous, um... thing you're working on."

Once-ler's eyes instantly widened and his whole face lit up. "Well, my good lady, let me tell you!" he said, using his salesman voice, which always made Clementine laugh. "You won't ever have a need for anything else once you get your little hands on my wonderful Thneed."

Clementine clapped her hands. "Very good! I think you'll sell at least two of those."

"Two?" Once-ler cried in disbelief.

Clementine laughed at his shocked face, using her hand to cover her mouth like her mother had taught her. "I'm just teasing, Once-ler. I'm sure you'll sell a whole kazillion once you actually make it."

They were at Clementine's class, which was Rhyming class. She turned around and grinned at him. "First, we should focus on actually graduating and before that, getting ready for prom next week. You're taking Margie Glompy, right?"

Before he could answer, Margie, a redhead with an overly friendly attitude but a gorgeous face, had raced over and hugged onto his side.

"Don't forget, Oncie~!" she sang. "You're picking me up at 5:00 so we can take pictures, at least one hundred of them, then we're going out to eat, and then we're going to have to dance at least fifty times during prom!" She paused to squeal and hug him tighter. "Aren't you excited?!" Once-ler gave her a tight, wide smile and nodded. Margie shrieked at the top of her lungs before she raced back down the hallway, giggling wildly.

Once-ler and Clementine stared after her. They looked back at each other before Once-ler laughed a few times.

"She's sweet!" he said. Clementine nodded but didn't bother to comment.

Once-ler cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head. "And you're still going with Jake Jawkerson, right?"

Clementine shrugged and rolled her eyes. "I really didn't want to go at all but my parents are making me. They say he comes from a good family and blah, blah, blah," Clementine said while making talking motions with her hand. "So, yes. I guess." She looked up at him, and shrugged. "If I'm being forced to go, I wish... Well, don't you wish we could just go, y'know... together?"

Once-ler felt himself tense up as his face went to turn red. He laughed nervously. "Like... you and me? Going to prom?" He swallowed. "Together?" Well, the thought had occurred to him once or twice... or a hundred times or so. Who's counting? He cleared his throat and pretended to be shocked. "What? That thought never once occurred to me!" he breezed.

Clementine's next words instantly made his shoulders slump. "That way, we wouldn't have to worry about it being like a date, you know? We could just go and hang out."

"Right," he muttered. He perked back up. "Hey, it'll still be fun! We'll have a blast! That is, if Princess Snooty-butt can loosen up and have fun!"

Clementine's brow furrowed and she frowned at him. "Yes, it will be a real fun time if someone doesn't bring his smelly donkey scents with him!"

"Ouch!" Once-ler cried while grabbing his heart. "Your words hurt me to my very core!" Clementine's small fist shot out and punched him in his arm, eliciting a real "ouch" from him.

Just then, the warning bell rang.

"See you at lunch, Miss Priss!" Once-ler called over his shoulder as he raced down the hallway.

"Bye, Donkey-boy!" she called back before blowing a raspberry. She watched him turn a corner before she smiled and ducked into her classroom.

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(**A/N: Aww, that was cute! Leave me some feedback if you enjoyed! I appreciate your help with this story!:)**

**Peace**

**CR**


	3. Prom and Two Dreams

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. :(**

**(A/N: It's time for prom! Let's see how it goes, shall we? Sorry for all of the jumping around at the beginning! I tried to picture it like a movie and wrote it down like that.)**

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**Chapter Two: Prom and Two Dreams**

It was the night of prom and our two best friends couldn't be having a more different time of getting ready. While Clementine was getting her hair yanked and pulled by her maids and getting makeup slapped onto her face, Oncie was busy patching up his father's old tuxedo, which actually fit him very well.

-0-

Clementine looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. She could barely breathe in the Victorian-era red dress her mother had forced her into. Her mother stood behind her now, a proud smile on her face.

"I look terrible," Clementine griped.

-0-

"I look terrific!" the Once-ler wooted as he studied himself in his tuxedo. "I look as sharp as a guitar pick!" He picked up his black-and-white electric guitar before he strummed a few notes.

"Naaa, naaa, nananana!" he sang as he danced around his room on one leg. Tonight was going to be great! It was going to be...

-0-

"Horrible," Clementine groaned as she held her stomach. "I feel very, very horrible, Mother. I think it might be best if I just, just stayed home tonight, don't you?"

Her mom pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Non, non, non!" she said in a clipped French accent. "That simply will not do! You are nothing but nervous for your very first date. The sick stomach is to be expected." She spun Clementine away from the mirror so that she was looking right into her eyes. "You will have a great time tonight. You will need at least a little experience with boys if you're going to be married soon!"

Clementine frowned but allowed her mother to continue fretting over her. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Her stomach clenched inward and she was surprised at the butterflies that began to flap around in there. Maybe she was nervous. After all, this was her first real date.

"That's him!" her mother cooed. "Now, stand up tall, act like a lady, and most of all..."

-0-

"Smile!"

There was another blinding flash, and another, and another. Once-ler felt like he was in the middle of a photo shoot. He was at Margie's house, posing for his eighteenth picture. Margie hugged onto him and kissed his cheek.

FLASH!

"Ooh, I'm so excited!" Margie cried as she pulled her two poodles into the picture with them. Once-ler tried not to wince when one of the small poodles decides to ahem… _leak _on his shoe.

"We are going to have so much fun!" Margie wailed while shaking his arm back and forth. He gave a polite laugh and frowned as one of the evil dogs ripped a snag in his suit.

He couldn't help but wonder how Clementine's date was treating her.

-0-

Well... Jake was handsome. He had that going for him. In fact, Clementine had often heard his name brought up in conversations she was sometimes sucked into by other girls discussing "hot guys". He was one the "hottest", if you let those girls tell it.

Perhaps even if you let him tell it. Jake wouldn't stop talking about himself as he guided his sportscar towards the fancy hotel the prom was to be held at.

"I've been quarterback all four years of high school," he informed her as he studied himself in his mirror. "Pretty impressive, right?"

Clementine sighed but nodded.

"See! We agree on so much!" Jake gasped. "We're, like, two pens in a pod, Clem. Two pens."

Clementine groaned inwardly. She glanced at the car door. She considered trying to open it and make the leap. No, he was going much too fast. That would never work. She'd just have to suffer through the night. She'd much rather be at home in her comfy bed, reading until the sun came up, comfortable in her silk pajamas.

She could see the hotel in the distance. Was Once-ler there already? She could only hope.

-0-

In fact, the Once-ler was already at the prom. It had taken almost an hour on Melvin but they made it to the hotel.

"That was so romantic!" Margie cried as he helped her down from Melvin's back. "I've never been on horseback before!"

"Heh, heh..." Once-ler laughed and rubbed the back of his head. So, she thought that Melvin was a horse. At least Melvin seemed pleased at the compliment.

"EEEEEK!" Margie squealed as she grabbed his arm and started leading him towards the lit ballroom. A grin started to form on Once-ler's face as he heard the music getting louder and louder. He snapped his fingers from side to side before he began dragging Margie forward, following the waves of excited high schoolers and their dates.

"Wow, this is so cool!" Oncie said with a big, dopey grin. They had finally made it inside of the venue and it was totally pimped out. There was a fog machine, strobe lights, a real, live DJ... He'd never seen anything like it before.

"Um, try lame!" Margie said, bursting his bubble with her nasaly voice. "The parties the jocks throw look better than this dumb place!"

"Oh, yeah. Totally lame, yep," Oncie said while pursing his lips and holding his head up as high as she was tilting hers back.

Margie made a cooing noise when a loud pop song came on. "Ooh, Whitney Tears! She's totes cool! Let's dance, hun!" she cried. Before he could respond, Oncie was whipped onto the dancefloor by Margie. She pressed her cheek to his before she began swinging him around.

"Whoa!" he cried, trying his hardest to keep up with the short, energetic redhead. Alright, he loved dancing and music more than most people, but if he kept up at this rate, he was going to leave here on a stretcher.

As he was dancing, he caught sight of someone in a red dress standing against the wall. He leaned his head back and squinted, trying to catch sight of her again while being spun around in a circle.

He knew it! It was...

"Clementine?" he said aloud as his eyes took in the giant red dress she was dressed in. He held in a laugh before he looked down at his date, who was still glued to his face.

"Uh, excuse me a sec, Margie. Keep dancing, okay?" he said before he detached himself from her and headed over to his friend.

Clementine was trying her hardest to lean against the wall in her inflated dress, but couldn't. She eventually gave up and took a sip of her punch. Once-ler's laugh brought her eyes flickering up from her cup.

"Whoa, did I just step back into the 1800s or what?" he teased. "Don't tell me you're wearing one of those girdle thingies under there, are you?"

"Ha, funny," Clementine sniffed. She _was_ wearing a _corset_, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that. She scanned his suit before pouting. She couldn't find much to tease about him tonight. He looked very handsome. She wasn't going to fill his head with any more hot air, though. She sipped from her drink quietly.

Oncie's laughter died away as he realized that Clementine looked sad. He looked around.

"Hey, where's that Jake guy?" he asked.

Clementine coughed into her hand before giving a very unladylike shrug. "He wanted to go talk to his friends." She pointed to where Jake was currently chugging the punch bowl while his friends cheered him on.

"Oh." Oncie's face brightened as a new song came on. He closed his eyes, bit his lip and danced around. He grinned at an amused Clementine. "Well, don't just stand around, silly! Why don't you go dance?"

Clementine's laugh was dry. "I don't dance," she informed him before she lowered her eyes and took another sip from her cup. The dances she saw people doing out there were atrocious. Her mother would faint if she saw her attempting to do any of them.

She was shocked when Oncie took her hands and pulled her and her fluffy dress out on the dancefloor, making her plastic cup fall to the ground.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she hissed as Once-ler dropped her hands so that he could dance.

"Come on, Princess Snooty-butt! Loosen up a little and just let go!" Oncie said while snapping his fingers and dancing.

"I'm not going to dance around like an idiot!" she growled.

"Aw, come on!" Oncie begged with a pout. "It's prom! Just have fun for once!"

Clementine sighed and looked around. Everyone else seemed to be having fun, dancing to the loud music. Everyone was smiling, it seemed. Everyone but her. But, her mother always told her that ladies don't dance like this...

"Fine!" Clementine relented. She screwed her mouth over to the side, balled her hands into fists and stepped from side to side, still glaring at him.

"Oh, you can do much better than that!" Once-ler urged. He mimicked her glaring, robotic dance, which finally earned a laugh from her.

She glanced around shyly before she bent her arms upwards and leaned her head from side to side.

"Like this?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah, you're starting to get it!" he cheered. Clementine began to actually move her hips and soon, she felt like she was dancing. She was surprised at the wide grin that had spread across her face. She laughed when Once-ler took her hands and began to spin around and dance with her.

Once-ler smiled at the sight of Clementine having fun. He rarely got to see her laughing so when she did, it felt like an accomplishment.

He slowly stopped dancing so that he could watch her. Ugh, why did she have to be so darned cute sometimes? It was times like these that he started to think she was pretty and then all these confusing..._feeling_ thingies got mixed around in his head and he just wanted to grab her and...

"Whoa!" It was at this magnificently timed moment that someone bumped into Oncie from behind and sent him scrambling forward. At the same time, Clementine tripped over her long skirt and went tumbling forward.

Oncie caught himself in time, only to have Clementine fall into his arms, all grandiose style. Clem looked up at him, still grinning. He stared down at her, his heart beating in slow motion. It felt like time had suddenly slowed down. A slow song came on just then, adding to the atmosphere. All he needed now was a singing crab, but that's another franchise, folks.

Clementine swiped a dark curl from in front of her face and gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry," she apologized. "I think I've danced enough, huh?"

Oncie blinked rapidly, coming back to reality. "Huh? Oh, um, yeah."

Clementine raised her eyebrows at him. "Are you feeling alright, Once-ler?" she asked.

"Yeah, 'course I am!" He spoke fast. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, for starters," Clem began, "you still haven't let me go."

"Oh!" Once-ler quickly released Clementine, who straightened herself up and looked over at him. He sure was acting strange suddenly. She brushed off her dress and smiled at him, hoping to ease him out of his sudden strange mood.

"Thank you for the dance, kind sir," she teased while gifting him with a curtsy. She raised herself back up, swiping some of her curls back as she did so.

That's when Once-ler noticed the small thread tied around her wrist. "What's this?" he asked while lightly grabbing her wrist and lifting it so that he could see it better. He blinked a few times at it before he looked back down at a blushing Clementine. "Is this...?" he asked, still shocked.

"I wear it all the time, idiot," she said in a soft voice. She shrugged and looked away from him, feeling suddenly bashful. "It's kind of like my good-luck charm."

"Really?" he asked while pushing around the thin thread with his thumb. Clem nodded. She lifted her eyes back up to meet his and smiled. Without thinking, Once-ler started to lean towards her. Clementine watched him with curious eyes, wondering what in the world this buffoon was doing.

Before either of them could find out, a loud shrieking voice cut in between them, causing both of them to startle.

"There you are, Oncie-poo! I love this song!" Margie had shuffled her way between the two and was grinning up at Oncie with expectant, blue eyes. He tilted his head somewhat so that he could see Clementine. The peaceful smile was gone, replaced by the formal one she wore when she was around other people.

"Have fun, you two," she said before turning around and heading off into the crowd. He watched her for a little while longer before he followed Margie.

Clementine took her spot back against the wall. She smiled at the tall figure of Once-ler in the distance.

She knew she was always cruel to him but she had nothing but the utmost respect for the country boy. Despite his circumstances, he remained cheerful and optimistic, unlike herself. Being around him did help her feel a little more cheerful. She knew that he was destined for great things.

Her smile slowly vanished as her gaze fell to the bracelet he had made for her so long ago. Too bad their friendship would be ending soon. Their lives were just too different. It was only a matter of time before they set off on different paths.

Graduation was the crossroads.

Clementine watched the prom for the rest of the night, savoring every moment of it. Her favorite moment of the night had already happened, though, even if she didn't realize it herself.

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**(A/N: Thanks for reading! :) I went ahead and put up another chapter, so be sure to check it out!)**


	4. Crossroads

**DISCLAIMER: Still own absolutely nothing!**

**(A/N: Graduation! *fist pump* Time for our two friends to blow that joint. Oncie also has a surprise for Clem... ;) Hope I kept everyone in character!) **

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**Chapter Three: Crossroads**

Hundreds upon hundreds of graduation caps rained down from the sky, mingling with the cheers of ecstatic graduates and families.

The Once-ler and Clementine Valentine were amongst them.

"We did it!" The Once-ler cheered while holding his diploma up for Clementine to see. "My family was SO wrong about me!"

"What a shocker," Clementine mused while straightening out the gold sash that hung over her shoulders, which was given to all the smart kids. "Are you sure it isn't fake?"

Once-ler gave her a flat look. "Ha! You're a riot, Valentine!" he said. The smile returned to his face as he held up his diploma and gave it a few smooches. "This is like our pass to a better life, Clem!" he explained excitedly. "No more school! We're part of the real world now."

Clem nodded and gave her friend a smile. She didn't want to ruin his mood by being a downer and complaining about her suitor, who was flying into town in about a week. He was on his way to achieving his dreams and she was happy for him.

"I knew you could do it, Donkey-boy," she said while placing his graduation cap back on his head. She gave him a lopsided smile, which he easily returned.

"Oh, Oncie, I'm so proud of you!"

A familiar, high-pitched voice squabbled out at the two from the distance. Oncie was instantly tackled by his mother, who was followed closely by the rest of his family.

His Uncle Bubb threw his hands up and pointed at him. "Hey!" he cried. "I love this guy!"

His mother sniffled and dabbed away nonexistent tears using the scarf animal wrapped around her neck. "I always knew you had a chance at graduating from high school!" she sobbed.

"Uh, thanks, Mom," Once-ler said, deciding to take his mother's words as a compliment.

His mom turned her attention to Clem, who was watching the family with an amused expression. She gasped as her hands flew to her cheeks. "Oh, I didn't notice you there, Clementine, darlin'!" she cooed. "Why, it does my heart good to see you and Oncie together. You two are still going to be good, _good_ friends after this, aren't you?"

Once-ler rolled his eyes, feeling embarrassed, while Clem simply smiled.

"I would like to, yes," she admitted with an easy shrug. Her gaze fell to the ground and her expression turned sad. Before Once-ler could say something, he heard a stern cough. He looked over and saw Mr. and Mrs. Valentine staring at their group from a short distance away. Mr. Valentine was giving their family a disgusted glare while Mrs. Valentine barely ordained them with a glance.

"I think the royal family wants you, your Highness," Once-ler joked while nodding his head towards the stiff couple. Clementine's eyes widened. She quickly started heading towards them but Once-ler's words stopped her.

"Hey, can you meet me tonight?" he asked.

Clementine raised an eyebrow. "For what?" she wondered curiously while placing her hands on her hips.

He gave her a mischievous look. "Well, it's a surprise, actually. Anyway, can you?"

Clementine glanced at her parents, who looked appalled to see her still talking to the tall, skinny young man. They were never quite fond of Oncie. When one says 'not quite fond of' they mean that her parents literally hated him.

She looked back at him and shook her head. "I don't think tonight's a good night. We're supposed to have a bunch of my relatives over for dinner to celebrate. I can't just leave them there."

"Oh-oh, you could, Clem," Once-ler informs her while tapping his lips with his index finger. "It's called 'breaking the rules'. Something you should do more often."

"Uh-huh," Clementine dead-panned. "As fun as a night escapade with you into the great unknown sounds... I'm afraid I must pass."

"Aw, come on, Clem!" Oncie begged. "It'll be fun! I'll pick you up at 11, okay? Okay!"

"Wha-?" Clementine barely had time to debate the verdict before her parents practically dragged her away from Once-ler and his family. She sent him a glare over her shoulder, to which he responded with a happy wave and grin.

Her parents set her aside and immediately went on a rant about her friendship with him, which seemed to be a favorite topic of theirs.

"Now that you're a graduate, you have to surround yourself with people of your same status," her mother quipped as she carefully pulled some of Clem's curls behind her ear.

"He's my friend," Clementine muttered while softly batting away her mother's sharp nails.

"He's a filthy, common country bumpkin!" her father snapped. "We allowed you to be his acquaintance because you were so incapable of making friends, but now, everything's changing. You will be a married woman, expected to be at your husband's side at every event he attends, not strolling around with a beanpole!"

Clementine glared at her father. "That's not what I want to do with my life," she said from between gritted teeth. "That's what you two want me to do!"

"This is what you were born to do, Clementine Valentine!" Her mom's lips were pressed tightly together, a sure sign that she was angry and was trying to retain her regal posture. "You will be looked after and have every comfort you could ever dream of! What more do you want? What other dreams could you possibly have?"

Clem's eyes dropped to the small bracelet tied around her wrist. She never had the chance to think about what dreams she had, thanks to having false dreams shoved in her face day after day. She wished she had a dream she was so passionate about, just like Once-ler did.

"I...I don't know," she admitted.

Her father gave a hearty harrumph. "Well, then, don't speak of things you know nothing about! Come, we have dinner to prepare for."

Clementine's head hung low as she followed her family to the white limousine they owned, feeling heavy-hearted. As she went to climb in her limo, she looked up and caught sight of Once-ler, who was still taking pictures and laughing with his family. She bit her lip and looked away. Her mother pulled her into the limo and they drove off without speaking another word.

Meanwhile, the Once-ler's mother had just finished taking her last picture.

"Alright!" she announced. "That should be enough to remind myself that you actually graduated!" She and the rest of the family guffawed together while Once-ler politely laughed along, although his laughter was dry and humorless. He could not WAIT to prove all of them wrong. He wasn't just some failure that everyone could laugh at when they wanted. He was more than that, even if no one else could see it. Not his family, not the kids at school, not Clementine's parents, that's for sure...

Every time they saw Clem and him together, the way they watched them made him feel like he should run for cover before they ripped him apart.

Clem was practically the only one who didn't laugh at him when he mentioned his thneed. Of course, she might tease him, but she didn't really mean it. He hoped.

It sure was gonna be hard saying goodbye to her tonight.

-0-

It was exactly 11:00 when the Once-ler and Melvin rode through the golden gates of the Valentine manor. The lights were all out, save for the few that lit the gushing fountains at the front door.

He knew better than to try knocking there. He'd tried that once before and it had earned him several bites from huge guard dogs. Yeah, he'd pass on that.

Instead, he hopped off of Melvin and guided him towards Clementine's window. It was the only one with light illuminating from it. Once he had properly positioned himself below her four-story high window, he leaned back against Melvin and strummed a few notes on his guitar.

"Oh, Clementine~!" he sang. He strummed a few more notes and then waited for her to emerge from behind the pink curtains. He grinned when he saw a figure appear behind the curtains. Wow, maybe it was just him but Clem sure looked bigger than usual...

Suddenly, a big, burly man threw the curtains open, wrapped only in a towel and a shower cap.

"Oh, ugh!" Once-ler cried while covering his eyes from the hairy monstrosity above him.

"That was a nice song, kid," the man complimented him with a nod. "Very nice. I'm Clementine's uncle, by the way. Her window is one more to the right."

Oncie nodded. "Oh. Uhhhh... Thanks." He scooted over a few more inches and tried again, hoping there would be no more burly uncles awaiting him.

"Clementine," he sang. "Oh, Clementine~!"

He was relieved when the curtains drew back to reveal Clementine. She looked much different than she usually did. At school, her hair was usually yanked up into a bun and she only wore the most formal of dresses. Right now, she was dressed in a pair of silky, blue pajamas and had her brown, curly hair down.

He blinked out of his stupor, realizing that she was speaking.

"Look who came." She smiled down at him while leaning her elbows on her windowsill. "I don't recall giving you an answer earlier, do you?"

"Well, of course your answer is yes! Who in their right mind could resist a night out with me?" he joked with a playful wink.

Clementine gave him a blank look. He laughed nervously.

"Okay, okay! Would you please come hang out with me tonight? We can celebrate!" he begged. He watched as her eyes bounced back and forth, considering her options.

"Let's see," she hummed. "Go out with you and your smelly donkey or stay in and sleep in my warm, soft bed... What a difficult decision!" she cried with a smirk.

Melvin grunted, miffed by her comment. Once-ler pouted and gave him a reassuring pat before glaring up at Clem. "Hey! Melvin does NOT smell!" he growled. "And you can stay up in your 'castle' if you want! You're probably just too afraid to break mommy and daddy's rules, right?"

The smirk vanished from Clem's face. "I am not," she hissed. He could see her nails digging into her windowsill.

"Oh, Mommy!" Once-ler cried, making his voice as high as he could make it. "Is it already past my beddy time?" He struck a feminine pose before making crying baby noises. "I'm too much of a baby to break curfew! Waa, waa, waa-OW!"

The Once-ler cried out in pain as a bunny slipper hit him on top of his head. Melvin snorted out a laugh as he watched his companion rub at his sore head. His laugh was cut short when a pair of dainty feet landed close by. The donkey looked up to take in the form of Clementine Valentine. Her arms were folded over her narrow chest and she did not look pleased.

She sauntered over to Oncie. "You were saying?" she said while flicking the edge of his fedora.

Oncie gave a nervous laugh before hiding behind Melvin. "Okay! You're not afraid of them nor, apparently, of jumping out of windows..." He hopped on Melvin before holding his hand out to her. "Alright, milady! Climb aboard my trusty steed!"

Clementine gave Melvin a disgusted look before she took Once-ler's hand and allowed him to help her up on Melvin, who was not pleased at all, to say the least. He gave a loud whinny, causing Clem to squeal and wrap her arms around the Onceler's narrow waist. Once blushed and cleared his throat. Now was so not the time for these stupid butterflies to start up.

"He's not gonna bite, if you're worried about that," he assured his frightened passenger.

"He smells," Clementine noted, while pinching her nose closed with one hand.

Melvin whinnied in protest, ready to have the prissy girl off his back but Once-ler calmed him down with a soft pat to his mane.

"Don't listen to her, Melvin," he assured his pal. He glared at her from over his shoulder. "Could you try to be a little nicer to him? Melvin's my friend, okay?"

Clementine looked away before sighing. "Fine. I'm sorry, Melvin. You smell...great!" Oncie could tell by the gagging and tears in her eyes that she wasn't being truthful, but at least she tried. Melvin seemed pacified. He began trotting along, heading to the place Once-ler had already told him about earlier.

"So," Clem said after recovering, "where are we going?"

"Oh-ho! I believe I said that it was a surprise, didn't I?" Oncie said while batting his eyes.

"Can you at least give me a hint?" Clem begged.

"Let's see...uhhhh...nope! You'll have to wait and see, Clem!"

Clem groaned but he could see her big smile out of the corner of his eye.

After a few more minutes of riding and listening to Oncie sing about whatever object his eyes came across, they finally made it.

"Here we are!" he announced while hopping off of Melvin. He held his hand up to Clementine, ready to help her off, but she was too busy staring at the place he had brought her that she barely noticed as she placed her hand, absent-mindedly, into his.

"This is... Wow." It was all she could say as her green eyes took in the beautiful hilltop he had taken them to. It was high and cerulean blue, covered in small white flowers that danced beneath the moonlight. The full moon seemed so close to the hill, so close Clementine felt as if she could touch it if she tried hard enough.

She blinked out of her awe and gave Oncie a smile. "This is beautiful, Once-ler. How'd you ever find this place?"

"There aren't too many places a guy can go to knit and sing without getting teased for it," he admitted with a sad smirk. His smile brightened as he took hold of her hand before he began running with her to the top of the hill. She laughed and tried her hardest to keep up with her tall friend.

"Woop!" Once-ler gave a happy cheer before he threw his arms up and fell down at the very peak of the hill. He was surprised when, after a moment of hesitation, Clementine fell down beside him, despite the dirt and bugs, which she so hated.

They stared up at the bright moon together, smiles on their faces.

"Can you believe we're finally out of that madhouse?" Clementine said, referring to Seusville High School. "If I had to listen to another one of those Christmas plays the Whos put on, I think I may have just quit."

They shared a laugh. Oncie's died away first. His face suddenly turned serious. "I finally have the chance to prove all of those kids who laughed at me wrong," he said. "They're all going to see. I'm leaving as soon as I get packed to make my dreams come true!"

Clementine looked over at her friend and felt sad seeing the pitiful look on his face. She reached over and gently entwined her fingers through his. He blinked in shock before he turned his head to look over at her. She gave him a smile.

"Hey," she said. "This is something you should do for yourself, to make yourself proud. If it makes you happy, who cares what those other losers think, right?"

Oncie nodded, but he didn't smile. Finally, the smile came back to his face as he sat up and looked down at Clem. "Hey, what about you?" he asked curiously. "What are you planning on doing now?"

Clem's eyes darted away from him and her smile shriveled away. She pulled her hand away. "I, um... I don't know yet," she admitted.

Oncie frowned. "Hey, it's no rush! You have lots of talents! You can sing, you can dance...well, you can't cook, but you're an awesome debater... Heck, you'd make a great... Singing... Clown Lawyer!"

Clem's smile lasted only a second before it vanished. "My parents think its my duty in life to marry some old guy and to be rich. I just wish I had that choice, you know. Like you."

Oncie's mouth dropped in disbelief. "You wish you could be like me?" he asked.

Clem nodded and rolled her eyes. "A nightmare, right?" she joked while pulling herself up so that she was also sitting. Her eyes focused on her bare feet as she wrapped her arms around her legs. "I want you to make me a promise, okay?"

"A promise?" Oncie blinked, still in shock at Clem's admittal. He rubbed his hair from under his fedora. "What kind of promise?" he asked in a slow, drawn out voice.

"You'll make your dream come true and be happy for the both of us." Clem finally looked at him. He felt guilty seeing her green eyes so sad.

"Clem..." he began, brows furrowed.

She shook her head and smiled. "Just send me a postcard when you're all famous and rich, if you don't forget about me, that is."

"Clem, I'd never forget about you..."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he instantly regretted them. His eyes widened and shifted back and forth as he felt Clementine's stare on him.

"Er, what I meant was..." He laughed nervously. Alright, that was dumb. Taken the wrong way (which it definitely was), Clem might think that he actually liked her, which he did, but j-just not like that...

Thankfully, her next sentence put him back at ease. "I won't forget about you either, Donkey-boy," Clem said, while raising her eyes to meet his. He rubbed the back of his head before also raising his eyes to meet her green ones.

Okay, this had to be the fifth time this month that he thought they were going to kiss. They literally (at least in his eyes) got to this point nearly every time they were around each other but something always seemed to happen. At prom, there was that girl, Margie. The time before that, they had went to see a movie. He'd gotten scared at a scary part and she had let him hold her hand. They had been so close but then the guy behind him had to go and lose his lunch all over them both.

Yeah, so when Melvin suddenly started chewing on his hat, Oncie probably shouldn't have felt that surprised.

"Hey, quit it, Melvin!" Oncie scolded him while swatting the donkey away. Clem giggled into her hand while Once-ler mentally cursed his pal.

"We should call it a night," Clementine suggested as she climbed to her feet and straightened out her pajamas. She helped a pouty Once-ler to his feet as well before giving him a smirk. "It's way past my beddy time."

Oncie was about to go into a new round of teasing but every thought in his mind flowed out of his brain and turned to mist when Clem hugged him. Alright, this was...unexpected. Clem rarely showed anyone any kind of affection, even her parents. It's not how she was raised. It was unexpected but certainly appreciated by the Once-ler. If only she could do that more often instead of hitting him in the head with bunny slippers...

Clem suddenly felt embarrassed. She quickly pulled away and went to playing with her curls. She cleared her throat and gave him a light punch on his shoulder. "Make sure you write me once you make it to where you're going, alright? I'll write you, too. If I remember."

He smiled down at her. Even though he was on the road to making all of his dreams come true, he suddenly felt kind of...empty.

* * *

**(A/N: There ya go! So, just to let you know, this story will be following the plot of the movie for the most part, but I tried my hardest to make it interesting despite that! **

**I'll probably post the next chapter next week if I get the chance! I appreciate any feedback you have to give! And thanks for the fav, HeartQueen! :) You're a doll!)**


	5. Goodbyes

**Chapter Four: Goodbyes**

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"Well! Here I go, Mom! Off to change the world with my Thneed!"

It was finally the day Once-ler had been waiting for for almost all of his life. He was finally leaving home to go after his dreams. He ignored the snide remarks his family gave him as he climbed on his wagon's seat. Melvin was hitched to it and seemed ready to go. Honestly, so was he, but he didn't want to leave just yet.

He knew he probably shouldn't get his hopes up, but he thought maybe, just maybe, Clementine Valentine might show up and say goodbye.

He had already called her last night to tell her that he was leaving in the morning. The conversation had been weird, to say the least. Really weird. It sounded as though she'd been out of breath while they were talking. He'd asked her to come see him off but her answer had been vague. He wasn't sure if the answer was yes or no.

So, that's why he was looking down the road, hoping to see her small figure heading their way. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be happening.

"Well, Melvin," the Once-ler said after taking a breath. "I guess we should go!" Just as he was preparing to whip his reins, he heard a familiar voice calling his name. He lifted his head and his mouth fell open at the sight of none other than Clementine Valentine running towards him. He was even more shocked when he saw the loads of suitcases she was dragging with her.

"Wha...?" He climbed off of Melvin and started walking towards her.

"I hope you have room for one more!" Clementine grinned as she dropped her suitcases at his feet and beamed up at him. She was tired and out of breath.

Oncie still couldn't wrap his mind around what was happening. "One more?" he questioned. "What... You... You mean that you're coming with me?" His expression was shocked.

Clem nodded. "Yes. Now load my bags. We really have to leave before my parents realize I'm gone."

Oncie's mouth fell open while his hands automatically started loading all of Clementine's fifteen bags into the wagon. "Wait.." He paused to shake his head. "You're running away?!" he yelled.

Clem shrugged. "I suppose so, yes." As soon as she said the words, her lips curled up into a pleased smile. "Yes," she repeated. "I'm running away."

"Oh, are you two eloping?!" Oncie's mom cried while clapping her hands together happily. "I always knew you'd make my Oncie a happy man!" Oncie slapped his hand over his face before rounding the wagon to pull a mortified Clem onto the wagon seat with him.

"So, you're really doing this?" he asked. Clem chewed her bottom lip, seeming unsure. She suddenly nodded and grinned.

"Yes," she announced, seeming proud of herself.

Oncie couldn't contain the happy "whoot" that escaped his mouth. "Well...Well, this is great! Just me, you, Melvin and the open road! We'll go wherever you wanna go, Clem!"

Clementine's laugh was infectious. "That's the best thing I've heard in a long time. I'll just be happy to be out from under my parents' noses. Now, let's go!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The Once-ler gave Melvin's reins a whip. Melvin brayed and began trotting forward, swinging his fuzzy mane to the happy tune Oncie began whistling.

Clementine's heart was pounding against her chest. She held a gloved hand to it, hoping it would calm down. This was big. She was running away from her big, comfortable home to go off to...who knows where with Once-ler. Was she making the right choice? Maybe she should just go home and get prepared to meet her fiancee, who was supposed to be flying in today.

Suddenly, something warm grabbed both of her hands. She looked up and saw Oncie smiling at her.

"Hey, don't look so worried! This is going to be amazing, okay?" he assured her with one of his goofy grins. Clem smiled back but her smile dropped when he moved her hands to grab onto Melvin's reins.

"You can try guiding him if you want," Oncie suggested. "I'm gonna climb to the back and get some snacks for the road!"

Once-ler climbed to the back, leaving a stiff Clem to stare, wide-eyed, at the reins in her hands. She looked up and saw Melvin giving her a smug look. She gave a nervous laugh.

"Um, good, Melvin..." she cooed. "Please take us to a nice place, okay?"

Melvin's only response was a snort and a flick of his tail before he turned back around. Clem smiled to herself as the reality of what she had done began to sink in.

Her and her best friend were free to explore the world together. She'd never have gotten to experience that while living in the Valentine manor. Sure, she'd miss her family, but she'd go back...eventually. Once the suitor left.

"Woop!" Once-ler made a popping sound as he poked his head out of the wagon. Clem rolled her eyes at her silly friend and moved over so that he had room to hop beside her on the seat. He held out two giant bags of fluffy marshmallows.

"These thscings aresh shooo goooo!" he told her with a mouth full of the fluffy sweet. Clem laughed and popped one into her mouth. It turned into mushy sweetness in her mouth. She eyed the rest of the marshmallows with disdain.

"They're alright, I guess. I hope that's not all you packed to eat," she said with a scowl. Once-ler laughed and turned around so that he could reach into the back of the wagon. When he turned around, she saw that he was holding a box of pancake mix. The smile on his face was so hopeful. She couldn't bring herself to note that they may need more than that.

"That works," she lied while giving the reins back to an ecstatic Once-ler. He gave them a whip, sending Melvin into a happy trot.

He looked over at Clem, his eyes twinkling. "This is gonna be amazing, Clem!" He gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "I still can't believe we're doing this!"

"Me either," Clementine admitted while fiddling with her lacy collar.

Oncie noticed her worried expression. He began singing, hoping it would ease her worries, at least somewhat.

"Naa, naa, nananana!" he sang happily as they pulled onto the weathered road that led to who-knows-where. A smile finally appeared on Clem's face.

And where would this weathered road take our two friends? Adventure? Romance? Dreams? Or perhaps, disaster? Only time would tell. So stay tuned, my friends! It's sure to be a fun and bumpy ride!

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(A/N**: So, this is where the movie actually begins! Just so you know, I picture the Lorax narrating those little quips that sometimes appear at the end of the chapter or the beginning! **

**Hope everyone enjoyed! Big, big thanks to those who faved/followed this story! Marshmallows for all! :D)  
**

**Peace &amp; Love,**

**CR**


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